How is the care of a midwife different than an obstetrician?
Obstetricians are doctors who are extensively trained in pathology and surgery. The focus of their care is to control and treat illness. The service they provide can be very helpful for pregnant women who are struggling with health concerns which put them at risk for a complicated pregnancy and/or birth. However, for the vast majority of women who give birth, pregnancy is a normal event. Midwives are primary healthcare providers also trained to identify illness and complications during pregnancy and birth. Their fundamental focus and approach is based in the belief that pregnancy and birth is a normal physiological process rather than a medical event.
